Excerpts & Lyrics

Chapter Three: Not Wanted

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The St. Louis sailed from Hamburg on May 13, 1939 with 937 men, women, and children aboard. Each had their story of why they were crossing the Atlantic Ocean for Cuba but all were hoping for a life of peace. Such was not to be - as graft, greed, deception, racism, and politics altered the anticipated outcome. The St. Louis was prevented from docking and its passengers were forced to wait in high anxiety as negotiations and alternate locations were considered. Despite efforts, eventually the ship and its unwanted passengers had to return to Europe, knowing fully well what awaited them.

Not Wanted

Full Chorus | Children’s Chorus
Soloists | Female Soloist | Male Soloist
Male Soloist (Perpetrator)

Everyone I love and everything I have
Is left behind
I was afraid to stay
Afraid to leave my home
Who I am
All I know
You can’t stay here
No you can’t live here

And they said

Your not our kind and if you stay behind
We guarantee you’ll find
You’d wished you’d changed your mind

I had to go had to leave
I want to live, want to breathe
I want to breathe

My father and my mother
Said we had no other
Choice if, we were to be
a family

We’ll cross the ocean
Have a new home a chance to be you
To be me

The law of the land
Put our lives in their hand
And we were told
You're not our kind
And if you stay behind
we guarantee you’ll find
You’d wished you’d changed your mind

We have to go
Let’s not be late
A chance to leave all this hate
A chance to leave
A chance to leave
A chance to leave all this hate
Sail, Sail
Take us a way far from hate
Far from pain
Far from
lies, hurt and shame
Sail, Sail, Sail away
Lies hurt and shame
Sail, sail
To where we can live not run
no more hiding
in fear of our lives
Hide, in fear of our lives
LOOK!

I can see the land
I can see the trees
Soon we will play
Soon we’ll be free

STOP!
You can not land you can not stay
STOP!
Not wanted here should go away
STOP STOP STOP STOP!
Money talks
STOP
But no one gives
NO NO!
The kind of money
NO!
For you to live so
Find another land, find another place,
For your wily kind for your guilty race!

Not wanted here, not wanted there, not wanted
here not wanted there
Not wanted there
Not wanted there and there and there and there
and there and there

Not wanted anywhere
Can’t go back, can’t stay here
Wait...we wait and wait
Wait...we wait and wait
Not wanted there
Wait...we wait and hope
Wait...we wait and fear
We...were close, oh so near
Wait...we saw your lights
Wait...we saw them shine
Wait...you closed your door
Wait...you closed your mind
Had to turn back had to get out of here
We’re not welcome not wanted
Just leave disappear
And away we sailed

How long must we wait
Before it’s too late

Wait...not wanted here
Wait...not wanted there
Wait...not wanted anywhere